Praful Hinge Announces Himself with Dream IPL Debut for SRH

In a stunning display of raw pace and composure, 24-year-old Vidarbha fast bowler Praful Hinge made an unforgettable debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, leaving fans and experts asking one question: who is this new sensation?

Tasked with opening the bowling against Rajasthan Royals’ formidable top order, Hinge faced the daunting challenge of taking on the aggressive duo of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. What followed was nothing short of extraordinary. Striking with his very first delivery, Hinge dismissed the in-form Sooryavanshi and went on to claim two more wickets in the same over—removing Dhruv Jurel and Lhuan-dre Pretorius—to script history.

With this feat, Hinge became the first bowler in IPL history to take three wickets in the opening over of an innings. He didn’t stop there. Returning for his second over, he added the crucial wicket of Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag, finishing his spell with remarkable figures of 4 for 18 in three overs, including 13 dot balls.

Hinge’s rise has been steady but relatively under the radar. He made his first-class debut for Vidarbha in October 2024 and featured regularly in the subsequent Ranji Trophy season, picking up 16 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 26.37. Despite limited exposure in the T20 format—having played only one senior T20 prior to his IPL debut—he impressed in the Vidarbha Pro T20 League, playing a key role in Neco Master Blasters’ title-winning campaign.

Known for his sharp pace and ability to extract bounce from his tall frame, Hinge began playing cricket at the age of 12. He has often spoken about idolising Australian captain Pat Cummins—now also his captain at Sunrisers Hyderabad—and expressed his desire to one day share the dressing room with him, a dream he has now realised.

Hinge has also drawn inspiration from fellow Vidarbha pacer Umesh Yadav, with whom he even shared the new ball during his early T20 outings.

So far, Hinge has played 10 first-class matches, claiming 27 wickets, along with six List A appearances yielding five wickets. But if his IPL debut is any indication, Indian cricket may have just discovered its next fast-bowling star.